starrett



H, F, STARRETT.

- I PANEL BOARD- APPLICATION FILED MAY 17. 1912. RENEWED APR. 2.1919-1,321,489. Patented Nox 11, 3 5HEET$SHEEI 7/) Ave-v (ft-5" [4972/ 7/ P?Hal-1 L U H. F. STARREYT.

PANEL BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17' 192- RENE WE'DK APR- 2 l9l9. 1 ,ejfil ,485).Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

H. F STARRETT.

PANEL BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED MAY :7. 1912. RENEWED APR. 2.1

919 Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 mm 0. W J m NE N- \QW W WW 4% 4, i MY.

lllll Ill) - to improve Improvements in exact description, referenceHENRY F. STABBETT, OFCHZCAGO,

ILLINOIS; nsszeuoxis'z missus ASS GNMENTS, TO

STARRETT MANUFACTURING GOMPANYQ PANEL-BOARD.

Application filed may 12, 191$,

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it, known that I, I'lENRY F. STARRETT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at tlhicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented new and useful Panel-Boards, of which full,clear, concise, and being had to forming a part the following is a theaccompanying drawing, of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in panel boards and has for one ofits ObjOC/DS so that they may be more cheaply manufactured than panelboards; heretofore constructed in the commercial-art, so that they willbe stronger and more durable and so that the parts thereof pray bereadily assembled.

For the: purpose of disc-losing my inven tion I have illustrated in theaccompanying drawings one embodiment thereof. .In said drawings Figure 1is a front elevation of the panel board embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of said panel board showing theinclosing casing in section;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig, 2;

Fig. 4: is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fi 6 is a ersiectiye Flew of the in sulating strips or t e bus bars;

Fig. is a perspective view of the'secnn ing means for said insulatingstrips; I

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the anchor studs; 0

Fl 9 is a perspective view of one of the distributing connector bars;and,

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view showing form of terminal connectors.

In the embodiment; of the invention illus 'trated I provide aninsulating base 1 which is preferably of slate and on which the variousparts of the panel board are adapted to'be lmounted. The distributingconductors in the form of bus bars tl and distrib- Specification ofLetters Yatent.

the construction olipanel boards Patented Nov. 11,1919,

Serial No. 697,983. keiiweilnpril 2, 1919. Serial No. 287,099.

uting connectors 21 are permanently mounted on the rear of the ham andthe equipment devices in the form of fuse receptacles l, cut-outswitches 5, binding posts 6, etc, are removabl mounted on the front ofthe insulating ase. The securing means for the fuse receptacles,binding-posts, cut-out switches, etc, are all accessible from the frontof the board so that after the board is once installed damaged parts maybe replaced without removing the board from position and withoutdisturbing any of the circuits of the board excepting these controlledby the damaged device. The slate base is made about one-third as thickas the bases now used in the commercial art and is braced and thedistributing conductors inclosed by a steel casing 7 which is securedupon the rear of the base.

In constructing my panel board, the slate base is first drilled with aproper number of holes arranged to receive anchor studs and othermembers which are adapted to extend through the base. These holes, withthe exception of the holes for the terminal connectors. are all of thesame size so that all of the holes may be bored with a single drill,whereby the time. for drilling the various holes in the board is reducedto the minimum, due to the fact that the operator does not have to stoptime to change to different sized bllS.

After the slate base has been properly drilled the distributingconnectors 3 are all mounted in position upon the rear of the base.These connectors are formed from flat strips of copper or other goodconducting material and each strip at each end is provided with a squareor other non-circular hole to reeeive the'hollow ends of the anchorstuds 8. Each anchor stud is provided with a flat head 9 adapted toengage the front face of the panel board and has its stem arranged toextend through the hole in the panel board and through the non-circularhole in the connector bar. Aftcl the anchor studs and connector barsareall arranged in position upon the insulating base the base is runthrough a suitable press ird the hollow ends of the stems of the studssweged or his drill from time to riveted over the connector bars, duringwhich process a portion of the metal of the stems of the anchor studs isforced into the angles ol the square openings in the connector bars.This construction absolutely loclcs the connector bars to the back ofthe insulating base and at the same time locks the an hor studs againstturning. Atter thel riveting operation has taken place the hollow stemsof the studs are ti led with solder which.is permitted to tlow over thebottom of the stud to insure a good electrical contact between the studand con- .nector bar and additionally aid in llltt'llitlF icallyconnecting the two together. llach stud is provided with a screwtbreadedsocket It) which extends from the face thereot and is adapted to receivesecuring: screws tor the removable equipment tastened upon the troutface of the base and is also provided with av transversely extendingslot. adapted to receive downwardly extending projections on certain ofthe panel board equipments, such, tor instance, as the fuse clips -t, toprevent them trom turning.

A't'ter the distrilmting connectorshave been secured in position on therear of the base. the bus bars are then arranged hr position. These busbars, it will be noted, are formed of a plurality of strips of laminaeof good conducting material and I have preferable 't'ormed them inthis'way so that the size of the bus bars may ben'raduated in accmalancewith the size of the current intended to he carried thereby; that is,at'the base or lower part ol the bus bar which required to carry thelargest current it may be made ot a number ot strips and as thenecessity for current carrying capacity. decreases the strips may bedecreased in numher. 'lhese strips. it will he noted. are per- .ieetlystraight from end to end and the bus bars are secured in position byrivets simi lar in construction to those for securing the distributingconnectors in place. with the exception that they are longer. due to thefact that the bus bars are spaced farther from the base. Suitable spacermembers 11 are inserted between the bottom oi the bus bars and theinsulatingdmse to raise the ms bars sutlieiently to permit the same topass over or cross those distributing connectors'whieh are arrangedimmediately beneath them. The rivets 12 for securing the bus bars inposition, as before stated, are longer than the rivets for securing thedis tributing conductor bars in position and have extending from theirbottoms a pair oi slots 13. 'jlhese slots, when the solder is pouredinto the hollow ends of the rivets atter they have been swagred over thebus bars, permit the solder to flow into connection with the differentlaminze of the bus bars and thereby insure a. good electrical ot thestrips, their the insulating base and project connection between theanchor studs a nd the bus bars. Where the bus bars cross certain of thedistributing condi'tctors l insert be tween the bus bars and conductorsstrips oi insulatinL material 14; which are preterably in the lorm otmica. and these strips are held in position by n'ieans o't' down-turned,lugs 15 which enter suitable openings it} in the ends of the strips andextend downwardly *trom the ends of anchor plates 1?.

The anchor plates are secured in position by the rivets l2 which passthrough suitable openings 'tormed in the plates. .ttter the bus barshave been assembled in position the insulating strips 1-lmay be easilyinserted between the. distributing" connectors which they cross and thebus bars by turning the ends down until the openings to come oppositethe lugs 15. Then, by rbleasing' the ends natural resiliency will springthe ends of the strips up into position with the lugs 15 titting in theopenings Ilt'. The terminal connectors tor the bus bars are providedwith sockets I18 'lor receivingr the ends ol' the bus bars and with anangle extension 1!) into which is secured a threaded bolt 20 adapted topass thrt' ugh above the same. a nut 21 being secured on the bolt tolock the terminal connectors in position. Suitable nuts are providedl'or securing the ends ol the leadine' in wires to this threaded bolt.20. As a nualit'ication, however terminal connector. I have illustrz tedin" r it another form. In this term the (Xtltil 1 sion It is enlargedand the terminal con nectors secured in position by bolts 2'2. Anextension 23 ot the. plate if) passes through the insulating base and isprovided with a threaded socket 2 1- into which may be. screwed securingmeans tor the ends of the leadiinr-in conductors.

'lhe retpiirements tor the ditl'erent classes ot panel boardsson'ietimes necessitate the use of a main line lcniie switch. sometinics necessitate the use of main line :luses. sometimes both, andsometimes neither. tremely expensive to carry in stock the various sizesand kinds of panel boards, both with and without main line stvitelies.main line fuses, or both, and to this end l have mounted my main lineswitelt, or, it necessary, the mainline. fuse or both, upon a sep- :1rate insulating" base :25. in the drawings l have illustrated a mainline knil e switch Qt; as mounted onthis base. but it will be understood that main line fuse clips may be used in plat-e otthe. mainline switclrit desired, or, it desired. the combination of the main lineswitch and main mounted on this separate insulating base. The terminalconnectors oi the insulating base of tlie panel hoard proper and of theswitch-carrying base may beelectrically conline tuse may'be connectionbetween in each bolt hole is fastened in the nected' by cross'bars 27.However, as the the switch base and the panelboard base proper would notbe sufiicient mechanically, it these connectors were alonedepended uponto connect the bases, the two bases have connected thereto on their rearthe single steel inclosing casing 7. This casing not only serves thepurpose 0 inclosing all of the parts on the rear of both bases, butmechanically supports the two insulating bases and so connects the twosec tions and braces the same that-they become in effect a unitarystructure. T hissteel casing comprises a flat-back having its sides and"ends turned substantially at right angles thereto and adapted to engagethe rear of the base, and in practice these sides and ends after theyhave been turned are welded at the corners to aid in strengthening thecasing' The casing is held in position on the base by bolts or screws 27which pass through the base and the back of the'casing. As beforestated, with the exception of the openings for the terminal connectors,

all the holes drilled in the base are of ,the same size, and as thebolts which pass through the base for the purpose of holding the casingin position are smaller than the openings driiled in the base, I providea hollow rivet 28 which,

holes for the securing bolts and has a head 29 screw-threaded on itsperiphery for a purpose more fully hereinafter disclosed. The washer 30over which the rear end of the rivet is swaged is of the same thicknessas the bus bar connectors, so that during the. riveting operation thisrivet may be swaged over with the others.

The bolts 27 for securing the casing, in position are arranged betweenthe binding posts 6, and as the distance between these. posts is shortit is necessary that some insulating means be provided so that therewill be no danger of short circuits between the osts and the bolts dueto moisture collecting on the face of the insulating base at this point.Therefore, I provide small insulating caps 31 which are internallyscrewthreaded and are adapted to screw over the heads 29 oi the rivets.The tops of these caps are provided with rotatable buttons 32 which haveset in their face in a diii'erentcolored material, preferably whitecelluloid, number pieces These caps are held in position by means oi'spring washers 34 secured upon the ends of inwardly extending stems 35and engaging beneath the annular flange 31. By this arrangement I notonly provide means for insulating the tops of the bolts or screwssecuringthe casing in position, but also provide number buttons forindicating the different circuits The different-colored insert 33provides a good background for the numbers, and by making the caps 32rotatable, as shown, in event the board is turned in asidewise positionthe numbers may be turned so that they Wlll always-be vertical and willnot be difficult to read. In order that the steel casing maybe madeas'shallow as possible-and at the same time avoid any danger ofshort-circuits at the point where the bus bars are arranged to meet thecasing, as these bus bars are. raised above the slate base and thereforecome in close proximity to the casing, I secure to the inside of thecasing over the bus bars a strip of insulating material 36 to insure athorough insulation between the back of the casing and the bus bars.Also, in order that the casing may not be buckled or bent inward, Iprovide spacer members 37 which are-of insulating material and aresecured in position by screws '38 passing 35 through the insulatingbase.

The casing is provided with means whereby the panel board may besupported. Across the upper end of the casing I rivet or otherwisesecure a cross bar 39 which has vertical slots 40 in its ends, therebyforming hooks adapted to fasten over supporting screws or nails and fromwhich the panel board maybe hung. A similar bar 41 is secured at thebottom of the casing, but instead of having hooks formed therein theslots 42 are arranged transversely and engage suitable pins so that thelower end of the panel board will be locked against rocking.

While I have shown and described for'the purpose of disclosing myinvention a panel board embodying the'same, it will be understood thatmy invention may be em bodied in other forms of panel boards and thatvarious. changes may be made in the panel board illustrated anddescribed withp out departing from the spirit of my invention as setforth in the appended-claims. Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

' 1. The combination with an insulating base, of bus bars anddistributing connectors arranged on the rear thereof, rivets forsecuring said bus bars in position, at least one I I oi said connectorscrossing said bus bars,

strips of insulating material removably inserted between said bus barsand crossing connector, and anchor-plates held in position by the busbar securing rivets and provided with angularly extending lugs ar- Iranged to fit in openings in said strips to hold the strips in position.

base, of distributing conductors arranged casing for saidconductors'secured upon the 2. The combination with an insulatingiilurality of bus bars also serured bael; of said i; nous passingthrough Said base and massi For securing the casing in position, and aninsulating (zap seoured over the heads said bolts on the face of thebase.

The, combination With an insulating base, of (lisliiiblltillp eonduetorsarranged upon the. back of said base. a easing a1 ranged upon the bad;ol said base, a hollow ri at extending through said base and barits headon the taco ot the base peripherally serew-threadotl, a bolt extending;through said rivet and easingtor securing the casing in position and aninsulating oap intornaiiy screwthreaded secured on said rivet and oversaid bolt.

The combination with an insulating base ()i a panel board. of bindingposts secured .on the 'l'aee thereof. a easing seeured upon the bael; ofsaid base. bolts extending through said base and t'asingj; for seeuringthe casing: in position and disposed between said binding: posts, and aninsulating r-up secured over the heads of said bolts to insulato thesame from said binding posts.

Tho con'ibination with an insulating base, of a pluralitr ofdistributing eonneetors'secured upon the rear of said base. a upon therem. of said baso, said bus bars boingg spared apart; from the base topermit the ('onnet-tor ass theremuler rivets extending Lough. said baseand through said bus bars securing said bus bars in position. and spacermembers interposed between said bus bars and the, insulating base.

The con'ibination with an insulating .i a, of a plurality of bus barseaeh formed of a plurality oi laminations see ned upon the. roarthereof, rivets extending through said base and through said bus barstor securing said bus bars in position, said rivets hollow at their endsswaged over the b to oars, filled with solder and having the Wallsslotted to permit. the solder lo ilon' the, Various lamina: oi the, busbars.

The, combination with a panel board, of a base. member comprising aplurality of insulating: base sections eleetrioal equipment; of theboard mounted thereon, bus bars and distributing mnnectors permanentlyseullrod on the bad; face oi at least one oi said seetions thereof. anda one-pieee steel easing extending the. (-ombined length of said basesections secured to the back t horeot.

8. Tho combination with an insulatin; of bus bars and. distributingeonneet'or.--: on tho rear thereof, ant-nor studs through tho bus b: rsand Conner. having a soldered oonnee )ormano itly hold th' i of saidotnmeeto stri s ot insula 7 n material betwsert said bus bars andcrossing (:onnertors. and author projeelions ing' in notehes in stripsin position.

ii. The. eombination with an insulating base. ol distributing eonduetorsarranged on the baek ol said base. a easing mounted on the. lltlt'h ol'the base. bolts extending through said base l or MWHI'iHQ the easing inposi tion. and internally serew-tbreaded insulating eaps eoreringi thetops ol' aid bolts and sere-ir-lhreaded enp retaining members arrangedbeneath the heads ol' said bolls.

It). in ('ombination. bus bars (ih'll (our prising a plurality ol'laniinations. rivets extending. through said bus bars l'or securing themin position. said rivets being hollow. lilled with solder and havingslotted walls to permit the solder to lion to the various laminaol' thebus bars.

ll. in eombinalion. bus bars eaeh eomprising a pluralit ol laminal ions.ll 'el. ex' tending through said bus bars 'lor seeurin; them inposition, said rivets being: swagged orer. hollow, filled with solderand having slotted Walls to permit the solder to [low lo the variouslaminzo ol the bus bars.

12. The eombination with a panel board base member romprisinh aninsulating base. bus-bars and distributing: eonneetors per manentlseeured upon its bark,

said strips to hold the bars and distriluiting eonneetors and extendingthrough said base to the other tare thereol. of a seeond insulating basehaving (-ireuit opening deriees seeured on the lrontl are thereot'.detaehable eonduelor sereus .l'or eouneetingg' said eireuit openingdeviees with tho bus-bar terminals. and a one-pieee steel easingextending the eombined length o 1' said bases and seeured to the baelthereof.

13. The eon binalion with a panel board base member ebmprising aninsulating base. bus-bars and distributing eonneetors permanontilyseeured upon its bael z. anehor studs permanently seeured to saidbus-bars and distributing oon neetors and extending through said base tothe l'ronl; l'aee thereof. of a seeond insulating base having eireuitopening devieeis seeured on the trout l'aoe thereol. detaehable eouluetor seren's l'or eonanehor studs permanently eonneeted with said bus(mcmimg' (haviccs secured on the n't Inc/a manna-Ling said circuitopening dcviccs with H10 bus-bar;tex'minuh, and a sheet steel back Mg hawing its sides and, edges turned wt right angles thereto and extendingthe cmxibincd length of said base and secured upon the rear of saidnames.

messes.

Y-E'ENHY F STARRETT.

AFLVALLX.) ABEL REYKOLDS.

